Mind games - Pardew's plan to combat soulless Selhurst Park

READING boss Alan Pardew will hope to gain an extra edge over Wimbledon at a desolate Selhurst Park tomorrow (3pm kick-off) with the help of a sports psychologist.

The Dons' average home gate this season has been little more than 2,500 in a ground that can hold 26,400 and Pardew is determined that the eerie atmosphere will not jeopardise his team's chances of a sixth consecutive victory.

So Royals' boss will call upon the services of Robert Sharrock, who has already been working closely behind the scenes with him for around two months.

However, for the first time Sharrock will travel with the team to make sure the preparations at Selhurst Park are spot on.

Pardew told the Evening Post: "I watched Wimbledon play there and it was really weird. Our fans won't experience a game like it again, ever.

"This is one chance to go and play a home team with no home fans.

"It makes it an awkward game to focus on — so I'm going to take our sports psychologist. He has been working with me for a couple of months.

"I remember when Terry Bullivant was manager here he had a sports psychologist to use with players and it was a disaster.

"I feel that if you get someone like that to work with the team it devalues the manager as that is your role.

"But he works just with me. I've been learning techniques — how to get the best out of players and how to get things over in a clearer manner and he has been very much in the background.

"I see it as part of my education to get the best out of players and he can help with that. But tomorrow I will take him along as the circumstances will be different.

"Maybe he can offer us something and he can act as another pair of eyes for me. He might notice something different about the body language of a player as it will be a weird game."

Reading's players will be fully refreshed after their three-day break in Goodwood earlier in the week.

They returned to training yesterday and Royals' boss added: "I saw the effects of the break yesterday and we are ready for tomorrow.

"It was a chance for the boys to have a breather away from football. We realise how close we are, going into the final part of the season, and it was a welcome break as well as a chance to get together and build up the fitness of Steve Brown, who was behind some of the other players."

Pardew looks like keeping faith with the team that beat Rotherham last Saturday 3-0.

* READING'S home match with Brighton is to be screened live on Sky TV and has been brought forward a day to Friday April 4 (8pm kick-off).

Royals' trip to Norwich next Wednesday and the home clash with Nottingham Forest on Friday April 18 (7.45pm kick-off) are also live on Sky.